Chapter 11 : Pulse

Lena's lungs burned.

Branches whipped her face. Mud sucked at her shoes. Behind her, Dora stumbled again—half-conscious, the dart still lodged in her shoulder. Jovic had one arm around her waist, dragging her through the trees.

"Don't stop!" Jace shouted. "We're almost—"

Thunk.

A dart embedded itself in the tree beside Lena's head.

She ducked just in time. No sound. No breath. The Retriever was moving like a shadow through fog—impossibly fast. Mechanical precision. The bastard wasn't even running. Just walking them down.

Jovic turned, knife out. "Keep going. I'll—"

"No!" Lena grabbed his arm. "You can't beat that thing!"

But it was already too late.

Jovic stepped forward. "Come on, you freak. Try me."

The fog shifted. A dark figure emerged—tall, faceless, wearing a black armored coat and a breathing mask that hummed softly.

The Retriever paused.

And then… charged.

Jovic lunged.

Steel met flesh.

Jace grabbed Lena. "Run!"

But she couldn't look away.

Jovic's blade connected with the Retriever's shoulder — barely piercing it. The figure didn't flinch. He twisted, grabbed Jovic's wrist, and—

Crack.

Jovic screamed.

Then the Retriever drove something — a taser spike? — into his chest.

Lena's vision blurred.

"No!"

Jace yanked her backward as Dora screamed too, the sound ragged and raw.

Jovic's body dropped to the ground, twitching.

The fog swallowed him whole.

They didn't stop running until the trees broke into an open ravine. They slid down the slope and collapsed behind a rocky outcrop, gasping.

Dora was sobbing.

Lena sat frozen, staring at her hands, still stained with Jovic's blood.

"He stayed to protect us," she whispered.

Jace said nothing.

But in his eyes, Lena saw something break.